Read The Full Article At www.cyclesource.com
Article By: J. Ken Conte
Photos Courtesy Of MotoAuct
Originally Published In The May 2018 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
Last article, Motoauct. com co-founders Jason Williams and Jason Delacroix left off at hacking the rear section of the donor 1978 CB 750, so they could weld on the upswept custom rear-tail hoop and bratstyle seat pan (from Dime City Cycles) to add some style to their yard-find café racer. So, they got the hoop welded on, with some flat stock in between to assist in seat mounting. The rest of the frame really just needed a good bead blasting so it could be sent out for powder coating. While the powder coating was being done, it gave our builders plenty of time to focus on getting the drivetrain rebuilt. The Jasons installed the valve train with the lash set up for a new build and used an oldschool degree wheel to set top dead center. They installed brand new clutch plates to regulate the output of the gearbox and a new Dyna Tech ignition to provide modern ignition curves and additional reliability.
After buttoning up the engine, it was time to move on to the additional details that some builders overlook but are essential for an aesthetically pleasing build. First, they took all of the bits that were previously zinc coated and media blasted the surface, so they could recoat them. One option was to black everything out with some heavyduty high-temp black spray paint, but the Motoauct.com guys like to take it a step further—they have their own cadmium plating tank. This isn’t something everyone has, but typical platers/ chromers can do this process as well.
Williams and Delacroix’s tank is filled with deadly sodium cyanide mixed with 30 gallons of steamdistilled water and four titanium cages that hold six 1-pound cadmium balls for a total of 24 pounds of cadmium. The rheostat regulates the charge, depending on the amount of work in the tank. Plus or minus 15 minutes is all you need to put the shine on your old metal. The cadmium coating will hold up for years, but don’t try this at home, kids! Cadmium and the accompanying cyanide solution in the tank are very toxic hard metals. Much like mercury, you don’t want to expose yourself to the off gasses, and you need to avoid any dermal contact with this stuff. Gloves and respirators are a must. Now the Jasons wait for all the parts to come back from powder coating so they can turn this old beauty into a roller. We will feature the final assembly in the next issue. You can follow the build via the Motoauct.com Facebook and Instagram accounts or go to their website: https://motoauct.com.
